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There is perhaps no more famous literary expression in the world than “star-cross’d lovers,” from the prologue of William Shakespeare’s quintessential love story Romeo and Juliet. 

This line implies that the tragic fate of the two young lovers, who both commit suicide, was pre-destined.

Their stars were crossed, not aligned, and therefore their love was doomed from the beginning. Their story was written in the stars, if you will. 

The idea that our fates are somehow determined by the stars, and that we can therefore read things about our current, past, or future lives in the night skies, has taken on many different spiritual guises. 

The belief that there is some connection between what happens in the heavens above and what happens to us on earth below underlies how we use the word “stars” in life and literature. 

It is also the foundational principle of the spiritual study of astrology. 

 

What is the spiritual meaning of stars?

Stars are a symbol of good luck, ambitions, and fate. In many spiritual worldviews, stars are seen as powerful bodies with the ability to change the course of earthly events, or else to change because of them, or both. 

 

The spiritual meaning of stars in religion 

Almost every religion or spiritual system has, at least at some point, drawn a connection between earthly events and celestial movements. That said, some belief systems place more weight on this connection than others.  

The term “astrolatry” means the worship of stars and other heavenly bodies as deities. 

In the Greco-Roman tradition, this manifested in the association of planets with gods. For example, in ancient Rome, there was Venus, the god of love, and Mars, the god of war. 

There are also innumerable polytheistic systems and indigenous groups that have and still do worship the sun and/or moon as gods. 

The lines between religions and spiritual belief systems is blurred. It is well known that many early Christians dabbled in astrology before it came to be viewed as heresy.

But even the modern tradition of Christianity contains stars with spiritual meanings. For example, a bright star rose above the manger Jesus was born in. 

The three kings and the shepherds were therefore “informed” of Christ’s birth by the stars. 

In other words, they could read in the stars that a significant event had taken place on earth. 

Poetry and literature from all different time periods also frequently reference the stars in a spiritual manner. There are many passages in which authors and poets of many diverse backgrounds reference the power of the stars to influence our lives. 

 

The spiritual meaning of stars in astrology 

While many spiritual traditions refer to the stars, no belief system is so completely based in the idea that we can read our future in the stars than astrology. 

Astrology is the study of the movements and relative positions of celestial bodies. These movements are interpreted as having an influence on human affairs and the natural world. 

Most of us will be familiar with the astrological horoscopes published in newspapers and online. And in fact, astrology has been experiencing something of a popular revival recently.  

Horoscopes are forecasts of a person’s future written by an astrologist. They typically include a description of a person’s character, based on the relative positions of the stars and planets at the time of that person’s birth. 

Horoscopes are based on the twelve astrological signs of the zodiac: Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces. 

 

9 expressions that draw on the spiritual meaning of stars

The spiritual meaning of stars as holding some sway over our earthly lives spans cultures, belief systems, and continents. It has therefore inevitably found its way into the way we use language. 

Here is a brief run-down of the most popular expressions that draw upon a spiritual view of the stars. 

 

1. “Written in the stars” 

To say that something was “written in the stars” means that it was predestined or meant to be.  It essentially means, it is how it is, and there is nothing that can be done to change the course of fate. It usually has a positive connotation. 

Example: I think it was written in the stars that you and Sandro would end up together. You two are just too perfectly matched for it to be a coincidence. 

 

2. “Reach for the stars” 

To reach for the stars means to have high ambitions or goals. This expression draws upon the symbolic meaning of the stars as the highest goal to be attained, or as the ultimate dream.

Example: You have what it takes girl, don’t be afraid to reach for the stars. 

 

3. “Wish upon a star”

Regardless of whether we consider ourselves superstitious or not, the first thing most of us do after seeing the first star rise in the night sky is make a wish. 

The expression “wish upon a star,” derives from the spiritual idea that the stars hold some sway over our lives. 

If we wish upon a star, we are asking for something to happen to us and hoping to bring it about by addressing our wish to a star. This implies that we believe the star has at least an influence of sorts over whether it happens or not.

Example: If you wish upon a star, you may just get what you want. 

 

4. “One’s star is rising”

To say that someone’s “star is rising” means that they are experiencing success and becoming better known. 

On the one hand, this expression means that someone is becoming more visible to others, just as a star does when it rises in the sky. 

However, depending on how you interpret it, it can also mean that “someone’s star” is coming up, and they are having good luck as a result of the fact that their star is now in the sky. 

Example: April just got cast on Broadway! Her star is really rising. 

 

5. “Bless your lucky stars” 

To bless one’s lucky stars is to be grateful for the stars which have given one luck. 

There is often an astrological implication that one was born under stars that were lucky. See the next expression for more about what a lucky star is!

Example: Javier, you just have to bless your lucky stars that the accident wasn’t worse. You could have lost your leg for good.

 

6. “Born under a lucky star”

To be born under a lucky star means that you were born at a time when the arrangement of the celestial bodies was favorable. 

This saying heavily draws on the spiritual idea that arrangement of the stars has the power to influence our lives. 

Example: Jonas won the local lottery again today. I now know without a shadow of a doubt that that boy was born under a lucky star. 

 

7. “Stars in your eyes” 

Saying that someone has the stars in their eyes means that they have high hopes, or that they are dazzled by the brightness of their hopes and dreams. 

However, it often has a slightly negative connotation and contains the implication that the reality of the thing the person is hoping for will not live up to their expectations of it. 

Example: When Avril left her hometown, she had stars in her eyes. Now, living in LA, she has had to face some harsh realities.  

 

8. “Hitching your wagon to a star”

To hitch one’s wagon to star means to pursue lofty goals. It often involves partnering with someone who is already successful. This expression was first coined by the essayist Ralph Waldo Emerson in 1870. 

Example: By hitching her wagon to a star, Leanne hoped to achieve her goal of producing a movie by the time she turned 24. 

 

9. “The stars align”

If the stars are aligned, they are not maligned, or crossed. 

This expression brings us back full circle to Romeo and Juliet, the “star-cross’d lovers”. Their stars were not aligned, but rather crossed, and as a result, their fated path was not a good one. 

Had their stars been aligned, they might have lived happily ever after instead of succumbing to a predestined tragedy. 

Example: When we met, it felt as if the stars had aligned and everything was going to be okay from thereon out.